Toe-nail protector.



T. L. MARVEL. TOE NAIL PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB; I6. l9l6- 1,213,673, Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

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UNITED sire.

THEODORE L. MARVEL, OF TAUIITON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOE-NAIL PROTECTOR.

Application filed February 16, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE L. MARVEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toe-Nail Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to toe nail protectors, and more particularly to the'class of devices for curing and preventing ingrowing toe nails.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character where in a toe nail is clamped and acted upon thereby so as to bring the same into natural shape to prevent theingrowth thereof, the device being of novel construction so that it can be readily and conveniently applied to the nail and will act upon the nail for the purpose of properly shaping the same to its natural curvature.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein a resilient member acts upon the crown of the toe nail to effect the straightening thereof or the restricting of the same in its spreading action when the device is engaged with the edges of the nail to avoid the ingrowth thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is readily and conveniently applied or removed with despatch and when worn will avoid any serious discomfort or inconvenience to the user.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a toe nail protector of this character which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efiicient in operation, strong, durable and inexpensive of manufacture.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a toe showing the device constructed in accordance with the invention applied to the nail thereof; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, show- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 23, 191?.

Serial No. 78,741.

ing by dotted lines the initial position and by full lines the final position of the device; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of device, showing by dotted lines the initial position and by full lines the final position of the device.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device comprises a leaf spring section 5 formed at one end with an inwardly curled hook 6, while adapted to straddle the opposite end is an inverted U-shaped bale 7 preferably made from relatively stiff wire having hook terminals 8, the latter, together with the hook 6, being designed to engage with the opposite longitudinal edge portions of the nail so that the section 5 will lie trans versely of the latter when engaged in the bale 7 and by the resiliency thereof will press upon the nail so as to cause the proper shaping thereof in correspondence with the natural contour of the nail and to gradually constrict the same and withdraw its edge portion from engagement with the portions adjacent thereto of the flesh of the toe so as to relieve the pain and soreness incident to an ingrowing nail.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a slight modification of the invention, wherein the resilient leaf hinge section 9 is formed with a hook 10 at one end, while the opposite end is provided with a reversely bent hook 11 to prevent the disengagement of the bale 12 from the section 9 when the same is applied to the nail of the toe.

The application of the preferred and modified forms of the invention is effected as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and the resiliency of the sections presses upon the nail to stay the ingrowing action thereof and to bring the nail into normal natural shape.

In the preferred and modified forms of the invention the leaf spring sections, before being in. effective adjustment on the nail, are curved in an opposite direction from the curvature of the nail and being of spring temper tend to cause the edges of the nail to rise out of and away from the flesh of the toe when they are adjusted in final position thereon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of use of the invention will be readily apparent and a more extended explanation has, therefore, loosely straddling the spring member when been omitted. lying across the nail for the bowing of said Having thus described my invention, I spring member to effect a pressure thereon claim: for the straightening of the same.

5 A device of the class described comprising In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 15 a flat normally straight leaf spring member in presence of two witnesses.

having a hook end for engaging one edge of THEODORE L. MARVEL. a hand or toe nail, and an inverted substan- Witnesses:

' tially U-shaped double hook member adapted GEORGE S. WALKER,

10 for engaging the other edge of said nail and GEORGE F. WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

